Ice and Fire
by QueenBarenziah
Summary: Everything in Arendelle is going fine until the Duke of Cordale comes over to visit, bringing his family with him. Queen Elsa starts to feel suspicious about one of his kids. Could there be more people with powers similar to hers?
1. The girl in red

Winter came early that year. Only early December and my kingdom was already covered in snow. At least this time I didn't have anything to do with first months of my reign went without a hitch. I did my duties and everything worked perfectly. Anna seemed to be taking her responsibilities seriously too, she hadn't even thought of the word "marriage" throughout these last months. Kristoff still courted her, but he hadn't asked me for her hand yet, which meant they were taking things slowly, and that meant one less thing for me to worry about. But, as my father always told me, the storm will always find its way.

It came one morning with a letter. The Duke of Cordale was asking for an audience. Apparently his home had been destroyed and he was seeking shelter.

"But how can a castle be destroyed? Did a dragon attack?" Anna was always with me at court. Her opinion was just as important as mine and I never made a decision without her counsel.

"A fire," I answered her as we entered the empty courtroom. "Though, they don't know what caused it."

"Maybe a dragon started it."

I tried not to laugh. "Try to take it more seriously, Anna. They are homeless and we must offer them our help."

Anna sighed. "Right, sorry."

I sat down on my throne with Anna on my right and an empty throne on my left, the one my mother used to sit on. At first I insisted that Anna should sit there, but she refused claiming that that was my future spouse's place, not the princess's. I tried to persuade her but her mind was set.

After only a few moments, The Duke and his family made their entrance. The chaos they went through was very present in their appearance. There were dark circles around their eyes and they were covered in ash. The father, Vilhelm, a tall man with pale skin and light hair, had soot on his forehead and bloodshot eyes. The mother, Dagny, who was usually a very outgoing woman, looked like she wanted to disappear inside her furs. She was shiverish and looked like she'd been crying. The oldest son, Teodor, who was as tall as his father, had his right hand in bandages. But something was off. I remembered there being two boys, Teodor and Kai. But instead of Kai, there was a girl whom I had never seen before. She caught my attention mostly because, unlike her family, she wasn't wearing furs or anything to protect her from the cold. She wore a simple long-sleeved dress and leather gloves, which on their own were a strange thing to see in a young woman. And on top of that, her hair was deep red, not auburn like Anna's. Hers was as bright as the Sun. I stared at her longer, trying to remember her face, and I thought I saw a drop of sweat trickling down her temple, or maybe I was just seeing things.

"Your Majesty." Vilhelm's words brought me back to the real world. "Allow me to introduce my oldest son, Teodor."

The young man bowed lightly. "My lady. I suppose you don't remember, but we've met before, a long time ago."

"I do remember," I said with a soft smile. "It was on Anna's first birthday. We were very little."

"Indeed" he replied, returning the smile.

"But I also recall a younger boy. I believe his name was Kai." There was a collective flinch between the Duke's family and I knew immediately that I touched a delicate subject.

Just before the awkwardness in the air became unbearable, Vilhelm spoke. "We lost Kai in the fire, Your Majesty. He did not make it out."

I noticed the red haired girl had started to tremble. "I'm so sorry for your loss."

Vilhelm simply bowed his head. "It would ease our pain to know we have a place to stay while our home is being repaired. We have heard of your kindness and your merciful heart. We're begging you. We have nowhere else to go."

I offered him a kind smile. "Of course. Your friendship with my father goes back a long time. I would be betraying his memory if I refused to help you. You and your family are welcome to stay here in my castle for as long as you need to."

"Thank you, Queen Elsa" he said.

I gave him a nod and turned to my butler. "Bernard, would you please show our guests to their rooms?"

"Of course, Your Majesty" he replied with a slight tilt of his head. "Right this way, please." He headed out of the courtroom with the Duke and his family right behind him, and I was still wondering who that girl was.

Anna seemed to be more relaxed now that we were alone again. "Anna, do you know that girl?"

"The redhead? No, I don't think I've seen her before. And they didn't even introduce her…" She made a pause.

I frowned. It shouldn't bother me that much, but I knew firsthand what it was like to be left in the dark. Everything about that girl sparked my curiosity, but it seemed almost like her family didn't want me to know her…


	2. Someone like me

I was starting to grow impatient as I paced around the courtroom. It was very early, the Sun was halfway out and no one was up yet except for the guards. The Duke and his family had been staying with us for a few days now, and though they still mourned their late son, they were making themselves useful by becoming a part of my council. Teodor turned out to be a really good friend for Anna and I, specially for me. The other day we went for a walk around the gardens, and for the first time since they got here, I found out who the red haired girl was.

"You mean Karina?" he answered.

I gave him a confused look. "Is that her name?"

"Yes" he replied quickly. "She's my sister. I thought you already knew her."

Something about his tone made me believe that his answer was just an excuse. "Well, I don't. And it doesn't help that she hasn't come out of her room."

He sighed. "I'm sorry about her. She was really close to Kai, it must be specially hard for her to deal with his death."

I couldn't blame her then. If Anna had died last summer I wouldn't have been able to keep going, so I decided to cut her some slack and simply wait until she was ready to come out.

But I saw her last night. As I was getting ready for bed, I glanced out the window and saw her walking out of the castle. I didn't know what to do, which is a bit frustrating when you're the Queen. Having the gates open meant anyone could walk in and out of the castle freely, so she wasn't doing anything wrong. But it was the first time she came out of her room, late at night, and she was leaving the castle. She returned a few hours later, right before dawn, and went back to her room.

I asked Mathias, the head of the guards, to meet me in the courtroom immediately. It had been five minutes and I was still alone. I paced around, sat down, tapped my foot on the floor, stood up and started pacing again. I was about to go look for him myself when he came into the room slightly out of breath.

"Took you long enough," I said, more relaxed now that he was here.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," he said, getting down on one knee. "I had some important errands to do first."

"Rise. I know how seriously you take your duties and I appreciate it." Mathias was the only guard in my castle I could consider a friend. He had gained my trust back when my father was still King and I named him Head of the guards right after my coronation. "I have something important to discuss with you, but I need my sister to be here too…"

As if on cue, Anna came running through the door. "I'm here! I'm here." She stopped right by my side. "What are we talking about?"

I decided to go straight to the point and leave the explanations for later. "We're closing the gates at night."

Anna turned to me, obviously upset. "What? Why?"

"I saw Lady Karina going out of the castle last night."

"So?"

"She hasn't left her room since she got here and suddenly she walks out and goes off into the city. Am I the only one who thinks that's a little bit suspicious?" I was starting to get irritated.

"You're absolutely right, Your Majesty" Mathias responded. "I will notify the other guards about this." He turned around to leave but Anna grabbed his shoulder.

"No! Just wait a second." She turned to me and took both of my hands. "Elsa, please. You promised you wouldn't close the gates."

"They will only be closed at night" I said calmly, trying to persuade her. "No one comes in at night, anyway." Anna arched her eyebrows, as if she was trying to tell me something she couldn't say out loud. I sighed, understanding her silent message. "Fine. The gates will remain open." I turned to Mathias. "I need to know who comes in and out of the castle. And if Lady Karina goes out again, I want you to follow her and find out where she is going."

Mathias bowed down. "Of course, Your Majesty."

I nodded and watched as he walked out of the courtroom. Then, Anna squeezed my hands. "Elsa, why is this bothering you so much?"

I sighed. I didn't want to talk about it, but I learned the hard way not to hide my feelings from Anna. "She reminds me of… me."

She frowned. "You?"

"Yes." I let go of her hands and started pacing again. "She never leaves her room, she wears gloves all the time and she doesn't seem to be bothered by the cold."

Anna gasped softly. "Do you think she has powers too?"

"Could she?" I asked, turning to her. "I mean, if I was born with them, is it possible that someone else might have them too?"

"We could ask the Trolls! They should know." Anna looked so excited about this, I couldn't help but smile.

"We could, but I'd rather find out on my own." I turned away and stared out the window, watching the snow fall and pile up on the ground. "She must be feeling so alone…"


	3. Catching Fire

It had been three nights and I couldn't get any sleep, all because of Lady Karina. I was starting to get sick of my physician's tea, it clearly wasn't working. Only one thing would help me sleep, knowing why that girl was sneaking out at night. Mathias wasn't getting anywhere with finding out where she was going and I was starting to get desperate. At first I wanted to think that maybe she shared my powers, and she was just trying to hide it, but as they days passed I started to fear conspiracy.

Maybe I was just being paranoid, but after Mathias told me one more time that he didn't have any information for me, I decided I had to take matters into my own hands. On the fourth night, since I wasn't going to sleep anyway, I went after her. I waited in my room, looking at the window waiting for her to go out. Two hours passed until I finally saw her walking out through the gates. I grabbed my cloak and headed outside.

The guards gave me weird looks as I walked out of the castle, some offered to come with me but I said no. I wanted to confront her. Besides, I could handle myself very well if there was any danger.

As I followed Lady Karina's steps, I could see why Mathias hadn't been able to find her. There was a spot deep in the woods where the snow had melted. No snow means no tracks to follow. But I didn't understand why there wasn't any snow, or why Mathias decided to keep that detail to himself. It was as if the winter no longer existed in this part of the forest. As I set foot on the bare ground, I felt different, I felt warm.

I entered deeper into the thawed part of the forest and it seemed like it was stuck on an eternal summer. The trees were completely green and there were bushes completely covered in flowers. There were butterflies and small birds flying around, something you never see during winter. I kept walking until I finally caught a glimpse of her. I got closer, trying to be as quiet as possible. Then, something caught my eye. There was a pile of clothes in the ground. From what I could see it was only a cloak, a pair of shoes and socks, which assured me that she wasn't naked. But the thing that got my attention the most were the pair of gloves she wore all the time, the were laying there, along with the rest of the clothes.

I kept moving forward until I saw her. She was wearing a sleeveless, brown dress and her hair was down, like a cascade of lava flowing down her back. I tried to move closer to her without being noticed, but I was doomed the moment I felt and heard a twig snap under my foot. I hid quickly behind a tree, but I knew my cover was blown.

"Who's there?" I heard her say, her voice trembling.

I knew there was no point in hiding anymore. I came out from behind the tree and confronted her.

Her eyes went wide when she saw me. "Queen Elsa" she whispered. "Wha… What are you doing here?"

"I came to ask you that exact same question" I told her, stepping closer to her, but with every step I took, she stepped back. "Is this where you come every night?"

She nodded nervously. "Am I in trouble? I thought I was allowed to go out of the castle."

"You are. But people are finding it strange that you never leave your room during the day, yet you go out for hours every night." I took another step towards her and she stepped back again, but this time she looked startled.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty" she said, her eyes fixed on the ground. "I thought my parents had talked to you about that."

I frowned. "About what?"

She didn't answer. She simply wrapped her arms around herself and turned away. And that was when I understood, I knew the truth now.

"You have powers, don't you?"

She looked at me, her eyes full of absolute fear. "Please" she begged in a weak voice. "Just leave me. I'll return to the castle, but you can't stay here with me."

"You don't have to be afraid, Lady Karina. You're not alone." I tried moving closer to her again, but she would let me. I didn't understand. Everyone in the nearby kingdoms knew about my powers by now. What was she so afraid of?

"I have every reason to be afraid" she said in a much louder tone. "I'm a monster! I can't control it, no matter how hard I try."

"I can help you" I said calmly. "I know how lost you feel..."

"No, you don't!" She yelled, and I could swear the forest got warmer.

I opened my hands in front of me as I approached her. "You need to calm down."

"Don't come any closer" she warned.

But I didn't listen, I kept going, getting closer and closer despite being able to see the fear growing in her eyes with every step I took.

"Stop!" Karina raised her hands to try to stop me and flames came out from each of them.

I tried to get out of the way but I failed and ended up with my hands badly burned. I screamed in pain and fell to my knees, holding my hands to my chest. The pain was almost unbearable. But now I understood everything. I looked at her, she was staring back at me, covering her mouth with her hands, her eyes full of tears. "You… You have fire" I said, letting it sink in. "You started that fire, didn't you? The one that destroyed your home."

"I'm so sorry" she sobbed. "It was an accident, I swear. Please, Your Majesty, you have to believe me."

"Queen Elsa!"

I looked behind me and saw Mathias running towards me. He saw my hands and drew his sword immediately, pointing it at Lady Karina. "What did you do?"

"No!" I got to my feet quickly and stood between her and Mathias. "You will not harm her."

"But she attacked you."

"It was an accident." I looked back at her and felt bad by how frightened she looked. "I got too close to her despite her telling me not to. This was my fault." I took a deep breath before looking back at him. "Take us to the castle. I want you to escort Lady Karina to her room and tell my physician to meet me in my chambers. And please, don't tell my sister about this"

Mathias bowed his head. "Of course, Your Majesty" he said, and we were quickly on our way back.

The physician didn't take long to arrive. He examined my wounds and applied a gel-like ointment to them before dressing them. The ointment relieved the pain a little, but I still couldn't do pretty much anything on my own. And those wounds were definitely going to leave scars, which was completely ironic.

After the physician was finished and was packing up his things, the door was slammed open by a very worried Anna who came rushing to me. "Elsa! Mathias told me what happened. Are you okay?"

I sighed. Was it so hard to follow a simple order? I didn't want Anna to get this worried. Then again, I never would have been able to keep that a secret. "I'm fine."

"No you're not. Look at your hands." She sat in front of me and took my bandaged hands very gently in hers.

"I'm okay, Anna" I told her calmly. "They will heal in no time."

She looked at me in the eye and let out a sigh. "But how did this happen? Did she do this?"

I nodded. "But it was an accident. She was just scared and I was just scaring her more." I let out a huff. "I guess I was wrong about her powers."

"Not technically, I mean, she does have powers, just not quite the same as yours" she explained.

"I know, but now I don't know what to do. I wanted to help her. To teach her how to control it. Now I'm not so sure if I can."

Anna shrugged. "Why not? You may not control the same thing but it's still magic."

I gave her half a smile. "You may be right." That made the little bit of hope I had left become bigger. Maybe I could still teach her, and learn something from her in return too.


	4. Broken

The past week could not have gone worse. Because of my burned hands, I couldn't do anything by myself. I had servants following me around all the time, feeding me, dressing me, writing my letters, even bathing me. I appreciated the help, of course, but I felt so useless. On top of that, I couldn't use my magic. Not that I used it that often, but sometimes when I got bored I would throw snowballs at Anna. Now all I could do was freeze the floor with my foot, but I was getting tired of it. But the worst thing by far was that the burns didn't seem to be healing.

A whole week had past, they should've at least started to heal. But they still looked as fresh as the night I got them. My physician didn't know what to do, and even though he tried to hide it, I could see he was getting desperate.

One morning, as Anna braided my hair, I wondered out loud. "What if they never heal?"

Anna's hands stopped for a moment and she looked at me through the mirror. "Don't say that. Remember the white streak of hair I had before? I thought it was never going to go away, but it did" she said in a more cheerful tone.

"But a streak of hair doesn't hurt. And it went away when you sacrificed yourself for me, I doubt Lady Karina and I will find ourselves in a similar situation."

Anna chuckled. "Maybe a true love's kiss will heal your hands."

I snorted. "That's not going to happen."

"Are you sure?" she chanted. "Because some birdie told me that you've been spending a lot of time with Lord Teodor."

"And by that you mean you've been spying on me?" I couldn't help but laugh. Yes, Teodor had been of great help to me since the accident, mainly because it was his own sister you burned me. But I didn't think he was falling in love with me, and I certainly wasn't. "Lord Teodor is a friend. He's just helping me out."

"Oh sure. Remember when Kristoff helped me save you? That turned out pretty well for us."

"It's not going to happen, Anna" I repeated.

She sighed. "Fine" she said as she finished my braid. "But, since we were talking about Kristoff…" She pulled up a chair and sat right next to me, she was fidgeting with her hands and biting her lip like she does when she's nervous.

I turned to her. "What is it, Anna?"

"Has he… Have you talked to him recently?"

"No, why? Did he do something to you? Anna, if he hurt you…"

"No! No, it's nothing like that" she chuckled nervously. "It's just… Well, the other day I saw him coming out of the jeweler's shop and… I know for sure that he wouldn't buy jewelry for himself and my birthday is not for a couple of months…"

"Anna, just get to the point."

She took a deep breath. "I think he's going to propose."

I gave Anna a shocked expression. "Oh."

"But he knows that he has to ask for your permission first" she added quickly.

I chuckled. "He doesn't have to, but it will be better if he did." I knew she was expecting me to promise that I would give him my blessing, but I wasn't so sure. I trusted Kristoff, but the important thing was what was best for Anna. I wanted to make sure that she had learned her lesson and didn't rush into this marriage. "Do you love him?"

She nodded eagerly. "I do. And this time it is true love."

I smiled. "I will think about it."

She let out a sigh. "Okay, I understand."

"Good." I placed my bandaged hand gently on top of hers.

Without thinking about it, she gave my hand a squeeze, which made me flinch from the pain. "Oh, darn! I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay, it's okay" I assured her as I took deep breaths to try and ease the pain. "We really need to do something about these burns."

Anna bit her lip again and I could tell she was thinking of something. The gasp she made next confirmed my thoughts. "The trolls will know! They know a lot about magic, maybe they can even heal you."

I arched my eyebrows. "I can't believe I didn't think of that" I told her before letting out a soft chuckle, finally feeling hopeful. "We need to go there as soon as possible."

"Right!" Anna jumped to her feet. "I'll go get a carriage ready" she said before running out the door.

I laughed as I stood up. Anna had taken responsibility of pretty much the entire castle. I kept telling her that I was still perfectly capable of giving orders, but she insisted. It didn't bother me, though. I liked knowing that if anything happened to me, Anna would be capable of taking over the kingdom. And seeing how well she was doing made me feel at ease.

By the time I got down to the stables, the carriage was ready to go. Anna was giving the carriage driver the map to get to the trolls, she shot me a smile. I smiled back as I approached them. "I see everything's ready" I told her.

She nodded. "Come on." She grabbed my elbow and pushed me towards the carriage door. Getting in was a challenge since I could hold on to anything, so I simply let myself plop down in one of the seats, which made Anna chuckle.

"What's so funny?"

"You" she said as she sat in front of me. "It's funny seeing you all clumsy for a change."

I snorted. "Well, I'm glad one of us is having fun with this situation."

"Oh come on. Don't be like that" she said, nudging my leg. "I'm just trying to lighten you up."

"The faster I get my hands healed, the faster my mood will improve." The carriage door closed and I could feel it starting to move.

She sighed. "Fine, let's go get you fixed" she said before turning to look out the window.

I felt a little bad, Anna was just trying to help. "I'm sorry, Anna."

"No, it's okay" she assured me. "I know it must suck to not be able to use your powers."

"It's not just my powers, I can't do anything!" That might have sounded a little bit harder that i meant it to, I was just so frustrated."

"I know, but the trolls will have the answer. You'll see." The thing I loved most about Anna is how she always managed to stay optimistic no matter how bad the situation seemed. Her hopeful smile made everything better.

I gave her a small smile. "Thanks."

I spent the rest of the way looking out the carriage window while Anna suggested throwing a party to celebrate my healing. Having the gates open was such a relief for her that she used up any excuse to throw a party. It didn't bother me, parties meant eating all the sweets I want without people judging me. But this just didn't feel like the right moment for a party. "Anna, I don't think the Duke and his family are in the mood for a party. They are still in mourning."

She sighed. "You're right. We should wait a bit longer, but it still stands."

I chuckled. "Fine. I guess we could all use a little fun."

The carriage stopped and the driver opened the carriage door telling us that we had arrived. Anna got down first and helped me get out. I looked around and got a strange sensation. The only time I had been to this place was when I was a child, coming back after so many years gave me a weird deja vu feeling.

Anna guided me through all the rocks until we reached the center. She seemed a little nervous, and I had to admit that I was nervous too. Before she even said anything, the rocks started to come closer to us until we were surrounded by the little rock beings. Anna was greeted warmly by them, being with Kristoff must've made her family to them. But the atmosphere quickly changed when they realized I was the one who came looking for them.

The one Anna called Grandpabbie approached me. "Your Majesty" he said to me, bowing his head. "I knew this day would come. You've met your opposite."

I blinked. It was obvious that Lady Karina was my opposite, but why was this so important. "Is that bad?"

He shook his head. "It just seems that way, but opposites create balance." He came closer to me and I knelt down in front of him, showing him my hands.

"What can I do about this?"

He touched them gently, and for a moment of hope, I thought he was going to heal them, but he simply sighed. "Fire is different than ice. Your powers come from the sky. It's a storm that settles inside of you and allows you to use it at will. But fire comes from the core deep inside of you. If that core is damaged, then the flames will burn forever. Your hands will not heal until that core is repaired."

I looked down at my hands, then back at him. "So what you're saying is that she needs to heal in order for me to heal?"

He nodded. "Physical wounds are not so different from inner wounds. But if you work together, they will heal together."

I let all of that sink in for a moment, and then nodded at him as I got back to my feet. "I know what I have to do now. Thank you."


	5. I'll be there for you

The sound of my shoes tapping the floor echoed through the hall as I rushed to the court room. I was happy to finally know that my problem could be solved, the only issue was how. The troll said that my hands will heal when Lady Karina gets over her brother's death, and that wasn't going to be easy. Anna said I needed to help her, but how could I do that when she doesn't leave her room? She didn't even go out at night anymore. The only thing that assured me that she was still in the castle was that her mother still sent her meals. I needed to find a way to get her out.

There were two people standing at the courtroom doors, Lord Teodor and Mathias, and they seemed to be having an argument. I couldn't make out what they were saying because they were speaking in whispers, but they stopped talking as soon as they saw me.

"Evening, gentlemen" I said as I approached them. They both bowed down and greeted me but I didn't even acknowledge it, I wasn't in the mood for formalities. "Mathias, I need to speak to you." I headed for the doors but Teodor stopped me.

"Your Majesty, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I have important matters I need to discuss with you."

I turn to look at him, realizing I needed to talk to him too. If I was going to make a decision regarding Lady Karina I had to talk to her family first. "Very well" I nodded. "Mathias, wait for me out here."

"As you wish, Your Majesty" he said, bowing his head.

Teodor opened the doors for me and I stepped inside. "What is it that you need to tell me?" I asked him.

He closed the doors and turned to me, taking a deep breath. "My parents want to send Karina away."

"What?" My eyes went wide. They couldn't take her away. If they did, my hands will never heal. "Why?"

"She's... unstable. They say she's too dangerous to be around." I could see it in his eyes that he didn't agree with them. "I know you probably agree with them, but she's just misunderstood."

I agreed with him completely, but something was still not clear. "Why are you telling me this?"

He smiled at me and put his hand on his chin, faking a thinking position. "Hmm, let's see. You're the Queen, your word is law, for starters. Second, you have magic too so I just thought "hmm, maybe she understands what poor Karina is going through". Or maybe what really convinced me was "she would always help a friend in need"." He gave me one of those smiles that you simply can't say no to.

I chuckled. "Are you mocking me?"

He shrugged. "I just want my sister to be safe."

"Well, you can tell your parents that Karina isn't going anywhere" I assured him. "I actually need her here if I want my hands to heal."

"Oh, right. I had forgotten that you were still burned." I gave him a stern look but it just made him chuckle. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty. You know I have a lot on my mind."

"And what could be more important than your queen?" I said jokingly.

"I'll be sure to remember that, My Lady" he said, taking my hand and kissing it. "And thank you, so much."

"You're welcome." I offered him a kind smile. "Now, can you do me the favor of bringing her to me? I need to speak to her."

He huffed. "That's another thing I wanted to mention to you. Your... devoted guard won't let me see her. He says he's under strict orders to not let anyone in her room."

I gave him a serious expression. "What? Whose orders?"

He simply shrugged. "He said they were yours, but I didn't believe him."

"They are definitely not mine. Who does...?" I let out a grunt. "Go get your sister. And send Mathias in."

Teodor bowed slightly. "As you wish" he said before exiting the room.

I turned around and headed for my throne. I was angry, I spent so much time worrying about my burns that I was losing control of my castle. I sat on my throne and looked at Mathias as he approached me. "I heard you're not letting anyone inside Lady Karina's room."

He took a deep breath. "I was simply following orders. Her parents were very specific..."

"Her parents? Mathias, do I need to remind you that you swore loyalty to me?"

"I apologize, Your Majesty. I thought you would want me to tend to our guest's needs."

"You're not a servant, you're the Head of the Guards. You only take orders from me. And if I ever question your loyalty again, you will lose your badge."

He nodded. "I understand, Your Majesty. It's just that..."

I frowned. "What?"

"Queen Elsa, Lady Karina is dangerous. She already harmed you once, I don't want to risk having her hurt you again."

"That's not for you to decide."

"With all due respect, Your Majesty, I swore to you and to your father before you that I would give my life to protect you and your sister. You can't ask me to just sit by and let you put yourself in danger."

I glared at him. Why did he have to be so stubborn? "You will follow my orders. If you can't, I would gladly give the job to someone else."

Mathias gave me a defeated look before he bowed down and left the courtroom without saying another word. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes for a moment, leaning back against my throne. I hadn't realized how tired I was, and I would've fallen asleep right there if I the doors hadn't been opened again. I opened my eyes and saw Lady Karina's head poking inside. I straightened myself up quickly and offered her a smile. "Come in, please."

Karina walked inside, closing the door behind her. She walked towards me, holding her hands together and looking at her feet. She was wearing a light brown dress, sleeveless as it seemed to be her style. The dress was simple, two solid fabrics, the top a few shades lighter than the skirt. Her hair flowed down, being held only by two braids that started at each side of her face and were conjoined at the back of her head. Her hands, of course, were covered by a pair of black leather gloves. "You wanted to see me, Your Majesty?"

"Yes. Come closer."

She came a few steps closer, but still kept her distance. "I heard about your hands. I am deeply sorry. Is there anything I can do?"

"There is, actually." I explained to her everything the troll told me. It seemed she knew less about her own powers than I thought. She reminded me so much of myself.

"So basically, your hands will heal when I get over my brother's death?" she asked, astonished.

I nodded. "Seems like it."

She looked down again and shook her head. "I don't think that's ever going to happen" she said quietly.

I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. She looked so broken, so vulnerable. I knew I had to help her, my hands weren't priority anymore. "I know you must feel like there is no way out of this, but you need to have faith. Your powers are not a curse, they're a blessing. What happened to your brother was a terrible accident, but you still have a family."

She snorted. "My parents don't even see me as a human being anymore."

"But Teodor does" I told her. "He loves you and cares for you."

Karina lifted her head a little bit, and I could see a faint smile on her face. "Back in the forest… You said you could help me learn how to control my powers."

I nodded. "Yes, I did."

She thought for a moment, then she looked at me. "I want to. I can't keep putting the people I love in danger."

I smiled at her. "I would be glad to help you. And I was also going to ask you if you would like to become my ward."

She looked a bit surprised. "Your ward? I… I don't think my parents will allow that."

I chuckled. "I'm the queen, remember? All I need is your consent."

She thought for a moment, but then she did something I had never seen her doing before. She smiled. "I accept."


End file.
